Four ways we can help brands create impactful experiences
An experience is an invitation to participate; to engage our senses, interact with the world around us and form emotional connections. Branded experiences are no different. If created with authenticity, thoughtfulness and empathy towards an audience, an experience can elevate a space into a place, induce wonder, inspire play and compel people to act.
At The Mill, we have had the privilege of designing and building award-winning experiences for some of the world’s most exciting brands using insightful audience strategy, sharp experience design thinking and the latest innovations in technology.
Here are four different ways we can help brands create impactful experiences for their customers.
Bring beloved characters to life through real-time technology
By combining the latest in game engine and motion capture technology with The Mill’s years of character expertise, we have developed a pipeline that enables virtual characters to be performed live, bypassing the more time-consuming and costly traditional animation process. We’ve gatecrashed The Game Awards with Mirage from Apex Legends, hosted influencers on an interactive ghost hunt for LEGO, and even made a talk show appearance as Tony the Tiger on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert. Virtual characters create unforgettable moments of live audience interaction, helping people form personal emotional connections with brands in an unprecedented way.
Build immersive environments that foster interaction and play
Whether it’s a Wonka-esque digital playground for Nike, or an audiovisual listening bar for Spotify, immersive physical environments provide a unique opportunity to externalize the spirit and voice of a brand. These interactive spaces invite guests to discover the brand through playful moments of surprise and delight, creating lasting memories, invaluable PR buzz driven by exclusivity, and endless FOMO on social media.
Connect communities through virtual worlds
Exploratory virtual worlds retain the surprise and delight factor of their physical counterparts while lowering the barrier to entry by being digitally accessible. Uninhibited by real-world limitations, the virtual space is perfect for bringing shared fantastical experiences to life, a perfect example of which is Sanctum: our three-part social VR event series for HBO’s cosmic horror original series Lovecraft Country. Experienced through the Oculus Quest, we took influencers and fans on an immersive journey packed with original programming inspired by the world of the show. With the great migration of our lives online during the pandemic, the concept of the shared social ‘Metaverse’ has become more tangible than ever, and it’s time for brands to take notice.
Empower consumers by designing useful tools
A key driving force behind our experience design strategy is the belief that attention is our most valuable currency, and brands must respectfully earn it. No matter the target audience, whether they’re petrolheads keen on customizing a Chevrolet Camaro in a film as they experience it, or art lovers at Tate Britain discovering deeper context behind key collections through AR, we believe that by empowering audiences with authentic tools made for them, brands will be able to cut through the noise, and foster meaningful relationships built on trust and loyalty.
Talk to our Experience team to find out how we can take your branded project to the next level.
